gaedker



(No Model.)

E. SAGARDN ER. TRACTION ROPE RAILWAY.

No. 291,589. Paterited-Jan. 8, 1884".

(No Model. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. S. GARDNER. TRACTION ROPE RAILWAY.

N o.-Z91,589. Patented Jan. 8, 12184.

- will I H EEEEEZ I'ILJ E'Fl'I'EIFI NiTE. STATES TENT Prior-it,

nLnAzAn s. GARDNER, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssreNoR OF" TVOfTHIRDS TO JOHN H. GOULD, OF sAMn PLACE, AND oLivnn 'L. GARDNER, on New YORK, N.

TRACTIONL-ROPE RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,589, dated January 8, 1884.

Application filed June 8, 1883. (No model.)

fullmprovements in Traction-Rope Railways,

of which the following is a specification.

. My invention relates to the clutch for grasping the cable of a traction-rope railway and the means for operating the clutch. The form of grip which I employ is easily operated and not liable to get out of order, and at the same time is firm and substantial.

In the drawings, Figure 1' is a longitudinal vertical view of my invention, showing the I 5 grip-jaws open. Fig. 2 is the same, showing the'grip-jaws closed. Fig. 3 is a vertical end view of my invention, showing the grip-jaws open. Fig. 4 is a modification of my grip designed to clutch the rope when running in the no central vertical line of the tunnel. Fig. his a plan view of the upper side of the lower clutch-jaw. Fig. 6 shows a duplicate modification of my invention.

Similar letters of reference designate simi- 2 5 lar parts in all the drawings.

A is the clutch-bar, which is firmly fastened to the ca-rrying-frame. It may be either attached directly to the frame-work of the car, as shown in the figures, by means of the bolts 39 a a or other suitable devices, or the frame to which it is attached may rest upon the axles of the car, which arrangement will make its connection of the grip with the car-wheels more firm and steady and render the grip less liable to lateral vibration. This clutch-bar A projects downward through the slot into the cable-tunnel, and carries the rigid clutchjaw 0 between the ordinary line of the cablerun and the top of the tunnel. In the lower 0 face of this clutch -j aw is a longitudinal groove,

0', which may have a cushion, d, of metal or other material, for the cable to rest against when raised, and held fast bythe clutch. The lower end of the clutch-bar Aprojeets loosely through the opening 8 in the clutch-jaw B, so

that the clutch-jaw B may be raise l and lowered upon the bar A, and, when lowered,will be below the ordinary horizontal run of the cable. This jaw B has a longitudinal groove and cushion, d, in its upper face, which,when the jaws are brought together, correspond with the groove 7 and cushion (l in the lower face of the clutch-jaw O. This clutch-jaw B may have a depending flange, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, for the purpose of giving, additional strength and steadiness; but the flange may be dispensed with, as shown in Figs. 4c and 6, if the jaw is made thicker and stronger. The rods H H pass down through the ends in in of the clutelrjaw B, and are secured by the 6o nuts 2' i or other suitable means. The upper ends of these rods H H pass at k is through bearings in the heavy casting A on the upper end of the clutch-bar A, and are rigidly height that the yoke D, bars H H, and clutch jaw B may be lowered until the upper face of the clutch-jaw B is below the line of the cable run before the yoke D will rest against the upper end of the clutch-bar A. The rod or clevis c is pivoted loosely to the yoke D and the arm f of the lever G, which leverG rocks upon a pivot at h, so that when the lever G is thrown forward, Fig. 1, the arm fwill be lowered, and will depress the rod 6, yoke D, rods 7 5 H H, and clutch-jaw B until the clutch-jaw B is below the run of the cable, when the cable can enter or escape laterally from between the clutchjaws O and B; and when the lever Gis thrown backward, Fig. 2, the arm f, rod 6, 8o yoke D, rods H H, and clutch-jaw B may be raised until the clutchjaw B comes in contact with the clutchjaw O, and by this simple backward and forward movement of the lever G the clutch-jaws can be alternately closed upon the cable, clutching it firmly and imparting motion to the car, or opened, so as to allow the cable to travel loosely between them. Any suitable device may be used for raising and lowering the yoke D, rods H H, and 0 clutch-jaw B, instead of the lever G and its attachments, as shown. My invention is particularly adapted for easy and expeditious switching. At the point and slot are made to deviate slightly to one secured to the ends of the yoke D at such a 65 where the clutch must free the cable,the track 9 5' y side of the vertical run-line of the cable, and the clutch-jaws being opened, the cable will at once escape laterally from between the jaws. The car can then be run upon a switch or elsewhere and attached to another cable, and if the cable to which the car is transferred happens to be on the opposite side of the clutchbar A fromthe cable from which it is released, the operation of taking up the new cable may be facilitated by the use of a duplicate clutch, as shown in Fig. 6. If a single pair of clutchjaws is not found to give a suffieiently firm and secure hold upon the cable, two or more pairs may be used.

The operation of my clutch being as described,it is not liable to get out of order, and it will not require such frequent repairs and examinations as is usually the ease with cablee'lutches, and the switches being provided with slots and tunnels for the passage of the clutch, the car may be run upon a switch or into the stable in the usual manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a traction-rope railway, in combinawinsso tion with a clutch-bar having a rigid clutch jaw at its lower end, clutch-jaw B, rods H H, and yoke D, said jaw, rods, and yoke having a vertical movement and operated by means of a lover or its equivalent, substantially as set forth.

2. In a traction-rope-railway clutch, the clutch-jaw B, adapted to move upward and downward upon the lower end of the bar A, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

3. The combination, in a traetion-rope-rail way clutch, of the clutch-jaw B and rods H H, to raise or lower a cable, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

. 4. The combination, in a traction-rope-railway, of the clutch-bar A, jaws O B, and rods H H, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a traction-rope-railway clutch, the yoke D, rods H H, and clutch-jaws B C, in combination, substantially as described.

E. W. GARDNER, WM. HALL WAXLER. 

